Date:         Thu, 9 Sep 2010 23:18:17 -0400
Reply-To:     David Marso <david.marso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         David Marso <david.marso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Syntax to extract/convert numbers and strings from string
              variable

Hi Mike,
Check:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9606&L=spssx-l&P=R9609&D=0
Put this in your pipe and smoke it !! ;-)
I posted that gem over 14 years ago ;-))))
You'll need to fiddle with it to fit your situation but the basic idea is
applicable.
HTH, David

 * General Parser *.
DATA LIST / X 1-80 (A).
BEGIN DATA 11-0101-423-7384
END DATA.

VECTOR NUMS(10).
COMPUTE #0=0.
LOOP.
COMPUTE #1=INDEX(X,'-').
COMPUTE #0=#0+1.
IF #1>0 NUMS(#0)=NUMBER(SUBSTR(X,1,#1-1),F8).
COMPUTE X=SUBSTR(X,#1+1).
END LOOP IF #1=0.
COMPUTE NUMS(#0)=NUMBER(X,F8).
MATCH FILES FILE * / DROP X.
LIST.

NUMS1 NUMS2 NUMS3 NUMS4 NUMS5 NUMS6 NUMS7 NUMS8 NUMS9 NUMS10

11.00 101.00 423.00 7384.00 .

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